This month we're going back in time to fill our digital DAW-based tracks with the nostalgic sound of analogue gear and production techniques… but that's just the start of this huge issue - we're also giving away a free analogue-modelled EQ plugin from Acustica Audio, pepping up your productions with 20 'studio workout' tips, catching up with the hottest pro producers, and giving away 3GB of samples!

INSTANT ANALOGUE

What is it about those classic tracks from the pre-digital days? How did the combination of circuitry, tape and hardware create the sounds everyone strives for today? And how can we get that atmosphere back using modern music software? We've got the answers to all those questions across 19 pages and 9 videos this month.

With our in-depth guides and expert techniques, we'll show you…

How the unique sounds of electrical gear are created,

Accurate methods for replicating the analogue signal path in your DAW

Ways to get real analogue outboard tone without breaking the bank

How filter and EQ plugins can recreate the sound of analogue gear

12 ways to use your free CM Plugins to get a real analogue sound

Feast your eyes on the whole lot with your copy of CM239, and check out the video below to get a taste of what's in store in this massive feature.

FREE EQ PLUGIN - Acustica Audio Pink CM

Fitting in perfectly with our analogue-themed issue is this high-class EQ unit from the Italian hardware-modelling tycoons. Readers of this issue get their own copy of Pink CM to grace their tracks with its top-drawer filters. You can check out the sound of this awesome VST/AU plugin in the below video, read the full spec here, and grab it for yourself with your copy of CM239!

New Year Studio Workout

As the year draws to a close, it's completely normal for your tracks to get a little bit flabby, your mixdowns to lose energy, and for your studio to get a little out of control. So make a resolution this year to get your productions back in shape with the help of our New Year Studio Workout feature.

We've got 20 tips and techniques to help you troubleshoot your tracks and start your musical year with a bang. We'll expose up-to-the-minute tricks and advice for a fresh 2017, including ten videos - start some light lifting with the one below, and get the rest only with issue 239 of Computer Music.

Multiband Masterclass

Multiband processing can be a silver bullet for mixing, sound design and mastering applications, but it's a tricky art to get right. In this feature, we'll clue you in on what's so good about multiband processing, when to use it for best results, and we'll give you the lowdown on the best multiband processors out there.

So whether you're looking to get control with multiband compression, get creative with multiband distortion, or even create your own custom processing matrix, we've got the answers you need.

Producer Masterclass: Jacky

At CM, we're happy to travel the world in search of the best producer videos, and when we learned that overnight sensation Jacky Maughan was living the DJ dream in Ibiza, how couldn't we book ourselves a ticket?

In this exclusive in-studio video, Jacky gives us a peek into his production techniques, deconstructing his track Apacheand dispensing some invaluable production wisdom along the way. We're giving away the first half of the video below, and you can get the rest with your copy of CM239!

3GB FREE Samples

This month we're providing hundreds of free WAV loops and one-shots to put new life into your tracks. With our specially commissioned Gangster Stings pack, 503 film noir-style sounds to drop in or process to your heart's content. Next, we've got a bonus pack of Loopmasters samples, choice cuts from recent commercial releases that'll put the modern vibes right into any project. And to cap things off, our Songwriter's Toolkit pack sees 1200 guitar, drums, piano and keys samples brought down from the CM attic.

Also in this issue

We talk to Dylan Mamid, one half of Toronto duo Zeds Dead, about their approach to production, collaboration, and how to make it in the music biz

Our CM Plugins suite reaches the new height of 68free instruments and effects

Check in with the latest free software in our monthly Freeware News column

Find out what Depeche Mode's Martin Gore makes of the digital revolution, and discover his top-five plugin choices

Read about the lasting legacy of the Akai MPC60 in our Blast from the Past outro

Get the theory behind Chord Substitutions,Bossa Nova beats, and mixing into the master bus in our CM Experts section